Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-02-22
Gui!gotttning q yYonsan.

a woman mas been guillottined in France.
for the FIRST time in fifteen years. The cir
cumstances attending the execution we're
horribly revolving, as were also the circum-
stances attending the crime The woman
had murdered her old mother. whom she
considered q burden On her. She took
eyery precaution to insure the success of
the murder She first saturated the old
woman's clothing with oil. then set fire 10
her, and held her down with long stick
while the decrepit old creature was roasting
to death. The old woman cried piteously
for mercy, but tho beartless daughter held
her down sill she was burned TO 9 crisp.
And then, to crown murder with biasphemy,
she placed 8 lighted candle before the tatuc
Of the Virgin, rs ~ act cf Thanksgiving, for
the successful issue Ct the mnrde? OF her
mother The einhabitants Of the town, Re-
Iuortir, IN which the crime took place we're
thrown into slate o. unspeaka5!e excite
ment. Tbs authorities had much difficulty
10 prevent tho people from mohbing tie
prison and Iyrching the prisoner. Aspeedy
irial-and trials in France are always
sDeedy-alcnc satisfied the populGce. The
woman was promptly condemned 10 death.
The French, as is known, are repuGnant
to the death sentence, and French juries
come in Tor much ridicule, apropcs OF 'eX-
tenuating circumstances" But, in- this
case. tho trial was ever before other trials
would have beep begun Fiial love in
France is one Of the strongest cheracteris-
tics o. The peasantry, and any one who
sbuses parent is relen!iessly iabooed from
society.
In the present Instance The ropugnance Of
the people in regard 10 The execution of o
woman was overcome by the atrocify OF the
crime, aud President Grevy, who is opposed
10 capital punishment CO principle, and who
sends nine out Of isn maTdarers to New
Caledonia instead of TO NJ. Deibler's mar
chine signed the death warrant without
question
When Inc arrival Of H. Deibler became
known TO the people Of the iown, The even
ing heiore the execution, these Was general
rejoicing The people remained up all
night 10 uitGess the execution IL the morn
iug. Most them were oa iaa ground cut
side tne priaon SIS early ~ midnight. When
about o'clock IN lie morning, he tDmbril
or cart appeared Eealiag tbs mur3eress 10
the place OF execution the assembled multi
tude sent Up q Joyous shout. Tha distance
from toe iail 10 The execution ground wac
long. but the eutire porulace Of the town
followed tbs death-cnrtege. al! along the
waY The pecplo hoc;ed and ieered, the wo'
men especially ,hnd pressed at times sc
threelanineIv arcand Ire vehicle that the
gendarnes had TO drae their weapons.
On arriving st The fatal spct q dead silence
faiI OF The multitude The woman was or
2cred 10 descend from lie vehicle, lut she
did no: respond 10 tie summons. She had
tainted The officers removed her and Ca
ried her o tue guiilotne, which was gfimly
standing in the morning light On herwsy
she recovered her senses and screamed and
resisted She was promptly placed on the
fatal instrument, with her head thrust
through The bGsca}e Her screams were
drowned by the shouts oftbe nsseIabled pee
pie They crushed GcoGnd the instrument
despite the efforts of The gendarnles to keep
them hack. Mothers held up their babies
and men held up their little boys st arms
length TO let them witness the execution OF
the murderess, that they mightremembeT The
lesson ior-iife
NJ. Dsibler. who is humane man, as far
as such may be said Of al executioner, did
not prolone the scene He touched the
"button" while the culprit was screaming
and the assembled people shouting. The
head dropped into The basket; the body was
thrown, with the discovered head, into o
wagon, aud hurried Off to the cemetery
The attendants OF NJ. DeibIer washed the
blood from The stones aud machine with their
sponges, end the immense crowd returned
home satisfied that justice had been meted
out 80 the unnatural daughter who had so
cruelty murdered her aged mother. 1t is
seldom such CHASTITY scene is witnessed liz
France
SWALLOWED a BoND.-A resident of Chi